GPS coming to 3G iPhone?

A new report suggests that Broadcom is the supplier of GPS chips for the next-generation iPhone, which Apple is expected to roll out in June.

by Tom Krazit

May 30, 2008 11:41 AM PDT

Google Maps could give you a much more accurate fix on your location with GPS.

(Credit: Apple)

It's pretty much a given that the next-generation iPhone will be faster, but it might be able to find its way home as well.

GigaOm is reporting that Broadcom is Apple's supplier for GPS chips that are inside the next iPhone, expected to arrive with a 3G cellular networking chip within a few weeks. GPS is an increasingly common feature inside smartphones, and is much more accurate than the cell-tower and Wi-Fi positioning system that Apple rolled out in January.

Rumors of GPS capabilities inside the forthcoming iPhone trickled out earlier this month, in the form of possible geotagging code noticed inside the iPhone software development kit. GigaOm notes a report from Popular Mechanics that reveals GPS manufacturers are shaking in their boots over the prospect of a GPS-enabled iPhone.

And if it comes to pass, expect to see a whole bunch of location-based services arrive along with the formal release of the SDK, expected in late June. Om Malik notes that Google Maps is an extremely popular iPhone application already, and the addition of GPS would make that service even more compelling.